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What is it?
The Belkin Powerline AV+ Starter Kit moves network data over your home’s electrical system up to 300 meters. Belkin Powerline Ethernet adapters is meant to solve a common problem - needing a network connection where you don’t have one. It has a list price of $179.99.
What’s in the box?
The Good
Set up is minimal. The instructions in the quickguide sheet explain everything. Plug in an Ethernet cable in an adapter, then plug the adapter into your electrical outlet. Do the same for the other adapter. Just be aware that using these devices in a surge protector is not recommended. For best speeds, plug directly into an outlet. The receiver unit has three Ethernet ports so you can connect multiple devices without needing an Ethernet switch.
Due to the fact the adapters are a bit on the bulky side, Belkin included proprietary extension cables that worked very well. You can either slide on the regular plug adapter or the extension cable depending on your preference.
Playing DVDs and 1GB video files over the network worked fine using the Belkin Powerline AV+ Starter Kit. There were no stalling issues.
In case you live in an apartment or just don’t want people plugging in their own compatible Ethernet adapters, Belkin has a system to lock others out. Just press a button on one adapter for a few seconds, then press the corresponding lock button on your other adapter. Then those units will only talk to each other. If you want to add more adapters, just repeat the process. The locking/pairing scheme works even if you have to unplug your device and move it around.
The Bad
The claimed maximum speed is 200 Mbps, but while moving a 1GB file over a wired network, uploading tests showed only about 34 Mbps. Downloading tests showed speeds of 43.2 Mbps. Again, these speeds were not exactly close to the claimed maximum speed. Speeds were better than my 802.11g wireless connection, which had a download speed at 22.4 Mbps and 19 Mbps for uploading.
The In-between
There was one hiccup in setting up the Belkin device. It turns out whatever electrical connection is in my dining room is apparently flaky for networking. Plugging the Belkin kit elsewhere yielded better results. Hopefully your home does not have electrical weirdness, but be aware that your home’s electrical system may cause a problem.
The Crux
The Belkin Powerline AV+ Starter Kit does not deliver speeds near the advertised maximums. If you need speeds like 200 Mbps, you are probably better served with something else. If you want speeds much faster than a 802.11g network, this is probably not your solution either.
Product Page: [Belkin Powerline AV+]
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